The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 venue row involving Bangladesh has sharpened in the build-up to the tournament, with ICC-linked security assessments understood to have found no grounds to shift Bangladesh’s scheduled matches out of India on security.
Cricbuzz reported that the ICC’s independent risk assessments – conducted by globally recognised security experts – do not recommend moving Bangladesh’s fixtures and have graded the overall risk profile in India as manageable for a major global event.
“It is important to clarify that the ICC’s independent risk assessments, carried out by internationally recognised security experts do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India,” a highly-placed source conversant with the development says, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
“The overall security risk for the tournament in India has been assessed as low to moderate, which is consistent with the profile of many major global sporting events.”
“Based on the professional advice received, the risk associated with Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai is assessed as low to moderate, with no indication of risks that cannot be effectively managed through established security planning and mitigation measures,” said the source.
Bangladesh have sought a venue change amid heightened political tensions, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) pushing for its matches to be moved to Sri Lanka, the co-host nation. The request has been accompanied by public remarks from Bangladesh officials in recent days, and the matter has remained live within ICC and host-board circles with the tournament approaching.
Under the current schedule, Bangladesh are set to play four league matches in India – three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, beginning the tournament opener window on February 7. The fixtures listed are: West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal. With timelines tight, uncertainty has the potential to complicate logistics and planning, even as no official change has been announced to the published programme.
While Bangladesh’s preferences have been for a complete shift out of India, contingency conversations have also included alternative venues within the country should any adjustment be considered. Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram have been mentioned as possible fall-back options, with state associations understood to have been sounded out regarding feasibility. Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium is already a designated World Cup venue and has matches allocated, and officials are believed to have indicated that accommodating additional fixtures would be possible if required.
For now, the ICC’s position, based on the professional advice referenced in the assessments, is that Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai carry a low-to-moderate risk profile and can be handled through standard tournament security protocols, rather than a relocation.
